Long Term Assisted Conception ~ January - February 2006

Evening Ladies
I have been MIA since before Christmas due to needing time out as no IVF happening so just wanted to chill out and forget about everything for a while.

AF is starting to show tonight I think finally 2 days late so wonderful timing being on night Shift so shall be booking on for N - FET #3 tomorrow.

We are going to try and speak to Dr before transfer regarding his thoughts on transfering our last 2 embies instead of just one seeing as how one has failed twice now. Not too positive on his saying yes but can only try hey. Hopefully dates are ok for a January transfer just to start 06 off swimmingly.

Hope everyone else's is doing Ok with whatever stage you are at. Catch up soon all.

Hi Chele - I completely understand about needing a break. It all gets overwhelming after a while. Good luck with your transfer - hope your Dr agrees to transfer 2!

Hi Vicki - good luck with the BT, hope you can get started soon.

Tam - good to see you petal! Hope your AF arrives promptly!

Hi to everyone else! Hope you're all doing well. My what an educated bunch we have here!

Thanks for the award Sue. I'd just like to thank my parents for my crappy genes, my DH for contracting the mumps all those years ago, and to God for blessing me with the strength to see it through! (LOL.. ;) )

Take care,

Hi girls not sure how many of you know me so I'll reintroduce myself. Im Anna, my Dh is Ryan. We are in our early 20s, we live in Perth and have been TTC for around 20 months with a diagnosis of unxplained infertility. We finally got a BFP in Nov that ended in m/c :cry: We are slowly losing hope that we will ever fall and stay pregnant. My Dr has been pushing AC since we started seeing him in September, as he thinks it will be our ticket to a BFP. They feel that there is something going wrong in the conception stage that was preventing us from falling, and then for the pregnancy to progress properly. My hubby is loathe to consider AC he is holding out hope we will do it on our own but Im not so sure I can take another 20 months of this hell. I also dont want to give up as its always been my dream to be a Mama and Im ready now.
I hope you dont mind my asking some ?'s about AC and your experiences.
What would you do in our positon?
Can you give an estimate on how much youve spent doing IUI, IVF, clomid (public and in health fund?)
Do you think we are silly for even considering AC at our age?
I just feel so unproductive, and cant see the point in slugging it out naturally when we could be putting all our energy into something that will most likely be our answer. Our Drs are confident we will have a high success rate due to being healthy and young (just need a little extra kick).
Plus my parents took 6 years to conceive me (the eldest). I was a clomid baby, although they were waiting on doing IVF. Im scared that will be us :(
I appreciate your honesty and help![/b]

****SORRY LADIES IT IS A SCROLLER**** LOL

Hi Anna! I am sorry to hear that you are on this TTC rollercoaster. I am 26, so considered 'young' to be using AC as well.
Have you had tests for PCOS, endo, DH's sperm? I have PCOS & DH has high abnormal sperm & low motility.

We conceived our DD after 15 long months of TTC & this time around I didn't want the long wait again. We tried ourselves for number 2 for 12 months before seeing my Dr for help. I was put on Clomid for 8 months & ovulated well everytime. Unfortunately DH & I couldn't get it together, even with OPU & temping so we moved onto IVF. We have chosen to do an ICSI cycle & I am currently on the dreaded TWW!!

It is hard if your hubby is reluctant. Luckily for me my DH was happy to go ahead with whatever the Dr recommended for us as a couple. Maybe if you could get him to go to an appt with you he'd get a better idea of what is involved. I found my DH had a mourning period I guess, as he was sad that the act of conceiving a child naturally & spontaniously was taken away from him/us.

I will do my best to answer your questions.

What would you do in our positon?
* Go to the Dr & seek advice. Be prepared when you go in. I found I needed to be assertive in my decisions due to my age. Some Dr's were like 'ohh but you are so young' so know what you want. They are there to help you remember. The Dr I have now is AMAZING! We love him!!

Can you give an estimate on how much you've spent doing IUI, IVF, clomid (public and in health fund?)
* Cloimid costs around $35 I think for 2 months worth. We did this for 8 months so for the Clomid we have spent $140.
My ob/gyn is $60 a visit, but I get a portion back. My IVF Dr is $200 for initial consult, then $130 for susequent consults (again with medicare rebate). Luckily I have private health cover so they pick up day surgery fees etc. To do an ICSI cycle with my clinic we pay $2990 upfront, actual out of pocket costs are $578 after medicare rebate.

Do you think we are silly for even considering AC at our age?
* No I do not!! Go with your heart & I wish you all the very best.

Dh sperm were tested at the 10 months mark and were normal. I dont have PCOS or Endo (even though it was previously thought I did have endo - long story ](*,) ) I think my Dr knows Im so tired of all this, it just isnt happening month after month and then when we finally do it it ends in miscarriage, first go. What are the odds of that? I know when I ovulate we dtd every second day from the time AF leaves til the time AF returns and still nothing. We are both evidently young and healthy and my Dr reckons I have one of the healthiest, prettiest wombs he has ever seen :cryinglaugh: Fat lot of good it does me. We were told the success rate for couples like us in IVF is super high because sometimes its just a case of needing extra help in the fertilisation part. They think the m/c for us was a bad egg and sperm combo, which is a worry. Bad eggs at 21? Sheesh Im already on the shelf ;)
Thanks for your advice, if we do IVF through our Dr we wont pay a cent going off your price guide. He is a private OBGYN/Fert Spec and does a great deal with our fund.
I feel better about it now! :)

Hello everyone. Hope you are all well.

Chele- I totally understand you needing space. I go from needing space to needing someone who understands to talk to. The whole roller coaster ride to so tiresome isn't it. Please let us know on how many eggs you have transfered. I have had 4 ET, the first one with 1E ( only as that is all I got on the first round. ) then the other 3 were with 2 eggs. I was able to have 2 transfered due to my age. I fell pregnant twice both times only 1 baby. ( unfortunatly m/c both) My Doctor said that having 2 transfered only gave me an extra 35% chance of falling pregnant. So I totally understand why you would want 2 Transfered. I am keeping fingers and toes crossed for you.

Heather- thanks for the wishes. I am so grateful to you and all the girls here for such wonderful support.

Anna- Hello! My GP told me that once you have been trying to concevie for 12 months with no BFP than you are concidered infertile. That doesnt mean that you cant BFP naturally. But it was time to look at other options. I was ready to go straight to A/C. We were refered straight away to the IVF clinic. We had all the tests and tried clomed first. it did not work for me at all, and DH learnt that he had poor swimmers. So we had to go straight to the IVF cycles. My DH was not ready for that, so we went to a nauropath for 2 years. Then made the decision to start the IVF. I really wish I had started sooner. But more importantly I needed DH to be 100% with the decision. I dont think you are silly in the slightest wanting to start AC. Talk to DH, than talk to Dr than go with your heart!!!
I spend more than skyelar with my treatment. I cant remember off the top off my head. I have the ICSI plus blastocyst. I am out of pocket around $2000. But it is well worth it.

Skye - I have everything crossed for you. the TWW goes so long doesn't it. Are you feeling ok now? I am so sore for a while after EPU.

Hi ladies.. I hope everyone is doing ok.. sorry i have taken a little bit of time out lately... but i still love to pop in on your guys...

Well I have just heard the most wonderful news about one of my very good friends. Trish and her DH had been trying unsuccesfully for 6 years for a baby. Clomid x8 rounds BFN, 2 rounds of IVF with nil success, endo, PCOS and loop cone biospy really made Trishs chances of a natural conception minimal. Trish and I have both been taking herbs Trish from Sharkeys and myself from Fertile Mind and Body. Trish started taking hers in October last year and I have been taking mine for about 3 weeks.

I was chatting with her on the phone yesterday and we were comparing 'herb notes' and commenting on how wonderful we both feel on them. Trish no longer has her headaches and I miraculously had a period with NO pain. Trish stated that although she loved the herbs they had put her cycle out of whack and she hadn't had a period since November. I asked her if she thought that by some miracle she could be 'up the duff'... she laughed and said 'oh good one'

Today she calls me.... I poas... I'm freakin pregnant!!!!!! We were both crying so much and laughing together.... we just can't believe it.. her doctor rushed her beta HCG through this morning and it is huge, she also had an u/s this arvo and all is well... they think she is about 7-8 weeks!!!!!

Girls, I was such a big sceptic of herbs, energetic healing and all the parafanalia that went with it... however in the last week i have had some major life changing experiences.. and I can't explain them!!!! Trish's success was just the icing on the cake!!!!

Take care and believe in your heart and soul

Love and hugs


Leis xxx

Oh Leis what wonderful news for your friend! How amazing after all this time she joked how she couldn't possibly be pg & she was!
I have a huge smile on my face now :smt038 That is just great!

So glad to hear those herbs are making you feel fantastic.
Did your DH get a transfer to the Coast?

Take care xox

Hi Skye

I know I can't wipe the smile off my face either.. it is just the best... and she has given me so much support throughout my TTC rollercoaster that I couldn't think of a better person to deserve this. I think it is just the name Trish (babyamore) LOL

DH's application doesn't close until the 3 feb. He is madly cursing and swearing about completing his application/submission. You nearly have to have a PhD in 'wordsmithing' to write the thing. LOL...

How are you travelling skye???

love and hugs


leis xx

LOL @ your Hubby!

I am good thanks Leis ;) sitting out this TWW :rolleyes: I am on holidays as well so it is making for loooong days in front of the puter :lol:

Awww Blue :hug:
Hang in there. Strength? You have it in bucket loads chookie.
Love
Sue

Leis- wonderful news about your friend 'Trish', you just never know what might happen.

Hi SuziQ -how was your beach holiday ? Greece does sound wonderful.

Blue -how are you going ? been thinking about you.

Goodluck Daisy -for starting a new cycle

Goodluck to everyone else at your various stages stimming and 2wwing

Hello Ladies

I often pop in and read the posts in this thread. I have never joined in here because I have not being having AC for 12 months....yet!

I've only had one fresh cycle and one frozen cycle, but am interested in any advice the more experience ladies among you can give.

Is anyone on Vitex, and if so, is it recommended to come off it when taking hormones for IVF? What other therapies (for want of a better word) would you recommend to get me to that positive result.

For Skye and Anna. I am considered young as well at 28. However ( and this is what I keep telling people), I'm not going to 28 forever. I want to get on with it so I can have a baby I can run around with and enjoy, and maybe even still be young enough to have another baby a little later.

Having said that my sister had her second baby at 36 and she's younger than me if you know what I mean!!

Leis- what great news about your friend.

I went to a kinesologist 3 months ago and was put on some herbs/vitamins - vitex is in it along with other stuff. Anyway I have been feeling great since taking them. We have been going ala naturale with temping to detect O. No BFP yet but I'm hopeful.

With regards to vitex and IVF, if you are stimming then vitex can contradict the ivf drugs. Having said that, I know a woman who used vitex in a natural fet and fell miraculouse pg.

Morning ladies.

Skye love, hang in there, and make the most of your holidays.

Magic, I just feel so good on these herbs, I can't believe how great I feel, my sadness and depression seems to of slipped away I have lost weight, my skin, hair and eyes are glowing and I am far happier within myself???? It is just so strange???

Anyway I am suppose to be studying, learning to be a theatre nurse!!!! The amount of ops I am having lately I don't think I need to take the exam. Should stop procrastinating and hop to it..

Take care gals



love and hugs

leis xx

Hello everyone. Hope you are all doing well.

Leis- Thanks you for sharing your friend Trish's story with us. I am so excitied for her. It is just wonderful. I also think it is great that the herbs are making you feel great.
I went to a nathurpath for 2 years. I did not find that the herbs made me feel any better. I was also put on a vitamin called tresos B. And only found out after leaving the nathurpath that I am not allowed to take any vitamins with Iron as my body stores it! But listening to you talk about going to the nathurpath made get back onto track with the diet guidelines she gave me, and that does make me feel better!

Skye- I hope you are enjoying your holidays with your feet up. I have everything crossed for your 2WW!!!!

Skye how are you coping? You can't have very long to go now can you? fingers crossed it works for you...and for me! I need someone to restore my faith that IVF works, I hate everything about it right now


Good luck!!!!!

Hi girls.... just popping in to see how everyone is going??? I had some very strange weird unusual pains in my L ovary last night. I was thinking it was a cyst???? Then today I wake up and see that the good old mucous is there (sorry if tmi) and I thought, mmmm good thing DH is home from sydney from work today, maybe we can create a miracle???? Have a good feeling.. must be the herbs....

How are you going Skye??? Take care.....

love leis xx

Guess I wont be joining you guys after all. I got a faint BFP yesterday which was such a shock. Seems we've become fertile myrtles all of a sudden. So I wish everyone the best and will check in from time to time (unless we have a repeat m/c which I hope not!)
[-o< Im praying for your BFPs!!!!

Anna- thats fantastic. How exciting. Wishing you all the best.

Leis- I have everything crossed for your mircle. Is Hubby home for the weekend? Relax and good luck!

Sarams- the rollercoaster ride is hard I know. I feel like I am living it daily. Going from excited that this cycle could be the one, to just worring that it wont work like the last 4. You know what my husband did? He read in the sunday paper a few weeks ago that in Australia we have 7000 babies born though IVF a year. So he highlighted that paragraph and put in on my fridge. So when I do feel a bit down I can remember that it does work. We just have to have faith. Please keep you chin up and remember we are all here for you.

Daisy,

I absolutely know how you feel my sweet.

I remember thinking this IVF thing was a bunch of cr*p, that the women falling pg must have been DTD and concieved naturally, but thought it was IVF. Well, I promise you, there had been no DTD in my house, so it was definitely the IVF.

I had 7 complete failures at IVF, not one teensy bit of HCG ever, before success. Every new cycle brings hope with it. You think you're not keeping strong, I think anyone continuing IVF in the face of unsuccessful cycles is very strong.

love
sushee

Sushee,

Thank you so much for your lovely and most needed wise words.

I feel so grateful for this great forum. I have felt so alone on my TTC journey. So many people really do not know what to say. I can respect that. It is the negitive comments that I get so cranky with. My sister in law said to me the other day " when are you going to give up?"
All you girl's have given me the strengh to be able to head those comments off. I just replied "why do I need to? I am allowed to do what I want and what I need to fullfill my dreams. It is my life, my body, my money. " I did only get negitive comments back, and even though they did bring me down alittle, I do feel stronger than my last IVF cycle. And all you girls do remind me that I am strong enough to keep going.

You HAVE made me feel so much better today. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Hi Vicki
You have the strength to do it. I remember seeing an ivf specialist interviewed when I first started out. His words ring in my ears "You really have to marvel at the resilience of an infertile couple". It's so true.
Truth is, 'the heart wants what the heart wants' and it's as simple and as hard as that. Maybe you could make that your standard reply!!
Looks like being a nice weekend here on the CC so you can get out in the fresh air and enjoy it.
Sue

Hello lovely ladies!

I just have a quick question...
Do you POAS before your b/t with IVF? I have my b/t this Friday 27th which will be 2 weeks after collection. Am I a lunatic to POAS before?
I don't know what would be worse

a. A BFN
OR
b. The 'Oh we are really sorry but....' phone call Friday afternoon.

What do you usually do??

TIA

:-k that is a hard Q

My clinic puts your Beta BT almost 3 weeks after OPU - so I did because I had to know if even tiniest bit pregnant - and I had a POAS about to expire. So i though may as well .I didn't expect a BFP though !

Twice before I never even got to BT - and once I POAS - ever hopeful and BFN was heartbreaking !

The thing is some ladies now pregnant got BFN on POAS and hours later got BFP on beta BT - Melbo was one. It can screw your head and another lady I know got a early BFP on POAS and was all excited understandably and devastated when BT was BFN :cry: .

Your need to have inner strength to cope with whatever the peestick tells you and despite the result of POAS - only the BT is for sure .You need a very strong will not to do it mind you.

Thank you Trish for your reply.
It is a hard one & I just know the wait from the b/t until the phone rings is going to be agony.
Goodness a 3 week BETA would be torture! I thought 2 weeks was bad
:shock:
Thanks again Trish

Skye, I say hold out. I must admit though it's never been hard to do because I had Pregnyl support on most of my TWWs so never did POAS. Like Trish said, it depends on how much you ride on the POAS outcome. I think most think that if it's a BFN there is still hope, it may not be right, but can help to gear up for a BFN BT. Hmm, that's a round a bout answer isn't it.

Daisy, I think the newspaper article on the fridge is a good idea, a point of hope would be helpful.

My news is that I'm back in the game again! CD1 for me, so the BCP did the trick for me. I start my HRT FET today taking 3mg Progynova 3 times a day. BT on CD10. Wow, feels like ages, well it was October my last cycle, I just need a better outcome.

Wishing good things for you lovely ladies. Take care

Rock and Roll *Tam*!!!

Tam- Fingers crossed for you for this cycle!!! I have had one FET and forget the time time. How long before ET?
The newspaper artical on the fridge has helped. Not only as it does remind me that IVF does work, but it also reminds me that DH is trying his best to support me.

Skye- To do or not to do- is such a hard question. I personally had to do it the first 2 times. Even though I knew that BT was the only true resut I wanted to be prepared! But my third cycle was a FET and a BT is the only way to find out then. So then for time no. 4 I decided that I will wait. I found that easier then getting a result and still waiting until BT to see if it is right. I really think you will have to just go with how you feel at the time.

Chele- How are you? have you managed to talk to you doctor yet about how many to transfer? How long before ET?

SuziQ- Thanks. The heart does want what the heart wants. I am going to store that for future use!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful sunny weekend!!!

Best of luck Tam for upcoming FET - thinking of you all the way and have everything crossed for you.

Yay! Tam, what excellent news! So glad you're back on the rollercoaster, it has been ages since you last had a cycle!

skye, my name is sushee and I am a POASer.

I have never gone a cycle without POASing, mainly because I felt the need to be prepared for any bad news the BT would bring. If it was -ve, I felt I could steel myself.

Then my last cycle, I POASed 2 days prior to my BT. I was 11dpo and it was very definitely a -ve. I kept the blasted thing for an hour, and it didn't change.

But two days later, my BT showed a HCG of 73! So the HPT was wrong.

I don't care what the manufacturers say. Unless you're carrying twins (and therefore producing heaps of HCG) you're more likely to get a -ve even if pg than a +ve if you test prior to AF.

Not that I'm saying not to do it, just be realistic that HPTs seem to not be definitive anyway!

love
sushee

Woohoo Tam - you go girl and get up the duff this cycle - do you hear me lassie =D>

ROFL @ Sushee :lol: I am a serial POASer as well!
I am so used to seeing a BFN these days that the outcome really comes to no suprise iykwim?

Yay Tam! :cheer: Sorry I am only new to this thread! I really hope your up & coming cycle goes well! Thanks for your advice re POAS. I am using crinone during this TWW, does that effect the outcome of a hpt?

Hi girls
Skyelar - crinone won't have any impact on the dreaded pee stick. Pregnyl contains HCG, which is what the dreaded pee stick detects. Crinone is progesterone support, so, go for your life with the dreaded pee stick.
Please note - I said 'dreaded pee stick' 3 times, if you get my drift.
Sue

PMSL thanks Suzi ;) I hate them too....I won't tell you that I went & bought 4 today, one for each day before my beta :oops:

Thanks guys, I'm very warm & fuzzy at the moment.
It almost feels like starting again, well, except for the needles. None on a FET.

Skye, getting very excited for you now. I'll be checking each morning for your POAS reports, lol. Good luck.

Blue, where are you? Are you starting back this month too. (God, that rhyming just sounds awful!) Thinking of you.

Sue, are you still coming to WA with your o/s trip booked? I remember way back when it was spoken about.

Sheree, hope you're well. I saw your signature earlier said your last cycle started Christmas Day, that's about 4 weeks ago......

Take care.

Morning Ladies
Have just had a very HOTTTTTTTT but lovely weekend at the beach.
Daisy - BFN to transfering 2 snow bubs so am going with one leaving a lone ranger as Trish called it. 1st BT is Thursday so estimating transfer may be 1st Feb day 16 but who knows with the way my body works.
Trish - Nice new piccie you have there honey hope you and the twins are doing great.
Take Care everyone in their TWW and yes HPT's are definately unreliable but we atill use them hey.

very best of luck Chele - everything is crossed for you

Ooo, close now Chele, good luck for the up coming ET.

I've only just started my FET & am getting worried about thaw rates already.

Hello everyone!!!

Skye- everything crossed for POAS. Cant wait until you let us know!!

Tam- Try and stay positive about thaw rates. ( I know easier said than done!) I have had 1 FET. I only had 2 emb's in the freezer and they both thawed perfectly. So it can happen.

Chele- Not long now! Had to laugh though about you comments about your body! I am excatly the same. My body never works to plan. On the nurses timeline I should be in for EPU on the 2/2. But I just know it will be 6/2. But in the end it happens so thats all that matter doesnt it!